The First Year Fifth Year
by Savera Lee
Summary: Xanadu Severina is a new student at Hogwarts, but she's entering in her fifth year. What's the deal with this first year fifth year, anyway?
1. Witches Wear Headphones

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters or concepts, blah blah blah – those belong to JK Rowling kthx (lucky bitch . ). I do, however, own Xanadu Severina.

Sarafina Radcliff is (c) Kiara Rae ), and Sanuya Kynnata is (c) Cy ). Any other characters belonging to people other than me will be duly credited. Thus far, every fan-created character I use and will use I have strict permission to use directly from their creator, so don't bust my ass about copyright infringements.

Enjoy!

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A rather unclean but still blazing red Subaru Forester sped off down the surprisingly open highway clocked at about 80 mph, a mere red blur to those who were standing still. The man driving the car seemed ordinary enough. His thin, ruffled black hair was balding in the back, and the skin around his tired black eyes was wrinkled and creased from years of overwork and hardships. One hand placed loosely on the wheel, the other picking French fries from a brown paper bag wedged between hi seat and the parking break, years of experience had allowed him the luxury of having very little to worry about when it came to the road ahead. The woman in the passenger seat would have looked much more normal if it hadn't been for the black pointed hair perched atop her head, crooked near the top where the roof of the car had bent it to one side. Her hazel eyes were sparkling and full of life, and her dirty blonde hair was graying at the roots, betraying her lively nature. She was talking adamantly about something, gesticulating wildly so that you would expect one of her hands to collide with something on the inside of the car at any moment. They were Nicki and Daevon Severina, respectively, parents of Xanadu Severina, their Hogwarts pride and joy.

"I'm telling you, Nick, there are some muggles out there who just aren't ready to accept those from the wizarding world," Daevon declared in a tone that was a mixture of irritation and pity. "They're not all like you; many of them are very close-minded. I mean, look at the way they treat people who are different in their _own_ world – look at how stigmatized people of different sexualities and races are treated!"

"Well, there _are_ some witches and wizards who are the same way about people in the wizarding world, as well," her husband replied, waving a hand half-heartedly in the air, a French fry wedged loosely between his fingers. "Not that they're anyone we associate with, mind you, but still..."

Xanadu, who was seated in the backseat, was hardly listening to her parents' discussion. Her liquid brown eyes stared blankly at the window, though they didn't see the scenery whirring by. A million thoughts were running through her head, and she felt the music pulsing through her headphones was the only thing keeping her sane. She had been in America so long that she had almost forgotten England, the place she was born and raised. She remembered with a pang in her side the reason for her nervousness.

Four years ago, her family had moved from their comfortable flat at 543 Comrade Court when her mother's father had fallen ill, diagnosed with cancer and with a life expectancy of a mere three months. However, the old man had more strength left in him than any of them had expected, and for two years they had stayed with him, living in his lush California home while he was forced into intensive care (which he intermittently got out of one way or another – one time he even escaped from the hospital and was at home for three hours before the people at the hospital caught up with him).

Xanadu remembered those years well. At first she had been so filled with fear, praying to whoever would listen to sustain her beloved grandfather's life, but after the first couple months her fear had been quelled by her grandfather's resilience, and she slipped into a realm of ethereal wanderings and strange dreams. In the time she spent with him everyday, she grew very close to her grandfather, for which she was very grateful. She felt a great connection to the old man, and he inspired her to be stronger somehow, lifted her spirits despite her own fear of the process.

"You're shaping out to be a great woman," he would tell her, his pale blue eyes sparkling and so vibrant that you would never suspect he was expected to die at any moment. "You have very powerful magick running through your veins, you know, and one day you'll see just how powerful you really are." He would then grin at her, and she would smile and ruffle his hair. What she would give just to regain those few moments of understanding they shared, just to hear those words once more and feel his comforting touch.

Of course Xanadu knew she was a witch; she had known since the day she was born, though she couldn't quite explain why. When she asked her mother about it for the first time, her mother had told her of her bloodline: while her father was a muggle, a non-magick person, her mother came from a long line of powerful witches. There had been a powerful witch from each generation in her mother's family, and Xanadu was destined to be the next generation witch. So naturally, she grew up with magick all around her, and with the promise of going to Hogwarts someday, the very same school of witchcraft and wizardry that her mother had attended.

Two years came and went, a bit too quickly for Xanadu's taste, and at last her grandfather's strength gave out. Xanadu was heartbroken. It was he who had inspired her to be something better, to become stronger, to develop her magick, to take up Wicca, and there was such a great pain in his absence. But he wasn't completely gone; his presence still lingered on in the estate they had inherited, and she swore that she would never leave the house as long as his spirit remained there and she could still speak with him and be with him, even if he was a ghost. All thoughts of Hogwarts had flitted from her mind like a thousand butterflies; this world she had come to love seemed all the magick she would ever need.

When she turned fourteen, however, Xanadu's parents received a latter from Nicki's sister in Bristol which held something which was apparently very important to the both of them, for they sat their daughter down that very evening to tell her something that was of life-altering importance: she was to go to Hogwarts after all. One part of her was aching to finally go to the famed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the same school that had helped make her mother the wonderful witch that she had become, but the other half of her didn't want to part ways with her grandfather's ghost. However, when her parents told her that he could come as well, she was up and packing within minutes.

As Xanadu went over all of this in her mind for the thousandth time, she was filled with both extreme nervousness and great excitement. Most of everything she owned was still lying encased in boxes strewn about their new old house at 543 Comrade Court; everything that wasn't there was piled into the trunk of her parents' car, and all of it was magickal, so its mere presence was causing the skin on the back of her neck to tingle with anticipation. She was leaving her relatively mundane life, as well as her grandfather's ghost, behind, but she was headed towards an almost entirely different world that she was bound to either loathe vehemently or love ardently. She was about to be schooled at Hogwarts, the greatest wizarding school in the magickal world; even her father was excited for her. But she couldn't help wondering why they had waited so long to her enroll her if they had known of her witch-hood since she the day she was born; it had to be connected to whatever was written in that letter her aunt had sent, but she had not a clue what secrets lay within its scrawling text, and she wasn't sure whether she _wanted_ to know.

She sighed, turning up the volume on her CD player. She could see the familiar outline of King's Cross becoming clearer through the morning fog as they neared it. Her mother had told her that the great Harry Potter would be entering his fifth year as well; she sneered at the thought. Perhaps it was in envy, but she couldn't understand what was so great about a little boy surviving an attack from lord Voldemort – and no, she wasn't afraid to say his name – without even _doing_ anything. Still, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him; he was probably faced with that kind of ridicule a lot.

Unfortunately, that thought only drove her to another, more nerve-wracking one. She was about to enter her first year at the greatest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the magickal world, to be thrust into a class where everyone else would have four years of schooling on her, and she hardly had any knowledge or anything they would probably be teaching. How could she possible hope to keep up with the other fifth years? What if she failed? Or worse, what if they expelled her for lack of experience, or threw her back to her first year? She would be 15 in October, and she couldn't even imagine being in a class with all 11-year-olds.

_Don't worry so much, dear,_ a comforting voice spoke inside her mind, and she instinctively looked down at her beloved cat, Oreo, who was seated peaceably on her lap, gazing up at her with bright green eyes filled with adoration. _You'll be the most powerful witch there._ She winked up at her with a grin that only a cat could pull off, and Xanadu grinned back with a cat-like grin of her own.

"I 'ighly doubt that, Oreo," she replied out loud, speaking for the first time since that morning. "'arry Pottah's going ta be there, and Dumbledore's tha headmastah; I'll be surrounded by brillian' witches and wizerds!"

_And you'll do wonderfully, because you're a mighty powerful witch yourself,_ Oreo replied, nuzzling her chest lovingly.


	2. She Who Wore the Halloween Panties

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters or concepts, blah blah blah – those belong to JK Rowling kthx (lucky bitch . ). I do, however, own Xanadu Severina.

Sarafina Radcliff is (c) Kiara Rae ), and Sanuya Kynnata is (c) Cy ). Any other characters belonging to people other than me will be duly credited. Thus far, every fan-created character I use and will use I have strict permission to use directly from their creator, so don't bust my ass about copyright infringements.

Enjoy!

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"We're here!" her father exclaimed all-too-cheerily as they pulled into a parking spot at the station.

Xanadu stroked Oreo's soft black head and looked into her warm, white-encircled eyes and, feeling invigorated, unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the door and pulled the little cat close to her chest protectively. She swung her legs out the open door and headed around to the back of the car, where her father had already begun unloading her bags into a trolley her mother had sneakily whipped up without any muggles noticing.

"I can bring Oreo on tha train, can' I?" Xanadu asked, stroking Oreo in hopes of drawing some comfort from her silky fur.

Her mother smiled gently. "Of course, dear. Now, we'd better get moving; your train leaves in less than half an hour!"

Xanadu smiled back, her courage drifting slowly back to her a piece at a time. She placed Oreo gingerly in the basket of her trolley and pushed off towards platforms nine and ten, a thousand thoughts still zooming through her head. It didn't take long to get there, despite the seething throngs of hurried muggles and the occasional boldly coloured cloak or pointed black hat she spotted every now and then.

Her father pulled out her train ticket and handed it to her, and she grasped it between clammy fingers, staring at it dumbly for a few moments before shoving it in her pocket and staring with a sinking feeling in her stomach at the divider between platforms nine and ten.

"It's really quite easy, dear," her mother cooed, sensing her anxiety. "All you have to do is run at the wall and think about something else, and you'll get right through." Xanadu looked at her nervously. "We'll be right behind you."

Xanadu took a deep breath and stared down the wall. It looked awfully real to her. Real and hard. Oreo licked her fingers with her warm, rough tongue, and she purred genially, relieving a good deal of her tension. She took another big gulp of air and started towards the wall. The lyrics of a thousand different songs flooded her consciousness, and she focused on one them and was busy setting them to music when she found herself in the middle of a completely different train station. She looked from the shiny scarlet steam engine waiting expectantly on the tracks, to the sign overhead that said _Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock_, to the place where the old barrier had been and the sign there that now read _Platform Nine and Three-Quarters_, and she couldn't help grinning satisfactorily.

Moments later her mother strode casually through the barrier, followed closely by her father, who had been holding her hand in order to pass through. "Here we are," her mother said brightly, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder. Her father was staring awestruck around the new station, his mouth gaping like a little boy in a candy store. "Come along then, let's find you a seat!"

Xanadu traced car after car before finding one towards the back (reserved for fifth year students, of course) which wasn't full to the point where she'd have to sit next to a complete stranger. She loaded her bags and said her goodbyes to her parents, hugging each one tightly about five times and smothering them with black kisses before finally boarding the train. She forced herself to think about everything she was going towards, rather than everything she was leaving behind, and grinned and waved wildly out the window at her mother, who was now crying hysterically, and her father, whose eyes were watering up proudly. She sat there for a moment, flooded with the strongest feeling of pride she'd ever known, before a thought occurred to her.

She moved Oreo gently off her lap and stood up at the window. "I'm goin' te get changed," she called out to her parents. "I'll see you in a year!"

"All right, dear," her mother called back through tears. "Remember, we love you!" Her parents beamed at her one last time before she pulled the curtains over the window shut tight.

She got up and slid the door to her compartment shut, paranoid that prying eyes would find her half-dressed in the middle of the aisle. Her hands caressed the smooth material of her robes, and she was temporarily mesmerized by the magick that seemed to course through their very threads. She tore off her clothes ravenously, eager to get into the robes she would be wearing for her first year at Hogwarts, and she was pulling the skirt up past her knees when the door slid open and a head appeared, one bright blue eye twinkling at her, the other hidden by a messy lock of silvery hair. Xanadu practically fell over backwards.

"Oops, sorry mate!" she exclaimed, ducking back outside the door without so much as a blush on her pale face.

Xanadu finished tugging on her robes indignantly and with considerably more haste, and when she was done she stomped over to the door and opened it with a bit more force than she had intended to. "May I 'elp ye?" she asked irritably. The girl turned around and flashed a wicked grin at her.

"Yeah, I was wonderin' if anyone was sharin' this compartment with ye," she replied, pushing past her and taking a seat across from Xanadu's belongings. "Based on that little exposure, I figured there wasn't. Nice panties, by the way."

Xanadu blinked indignantly and shook her head in slight disbelief before turning around and heading back towards the booth she had been seated at. She slid into her seat slightly hesitantly, examining the girl who had now become her new seating partner. Other than the sudden intrusion into _her_ compartment, the newcomer seemed to Xanadu to be virtually harmless. She was picking a mint from a silver container she had retrieved from her pocket, and her legs were crossed at the ankles.

"So, ya got a name, or should I just call ya She-Who-Wore-the-Halloween-Panties?" the girl inquired, popping the mint in her mouth and snapping the lid closed rather definitively.

"It's Xanadu," she replied with a wicked grin, extending her hand to be shaken. "Though She-Who-Wore-the-Halloween-Panties _does_ have a certain ring to it."

The girl grinned back in a similar fashion. "Sarafina. And I must say, it's nice to meet yer acquaintance – and not just because of the panties thing, either."

Xanadu let out a good laugh and found herself quickly settling back into a comfortable state. "Is this 'ow ye normally find a good seat – look fer someone 'oo's changin' and barge in on 'em?"

"Nah, that's too 'ard; I can 'ardly ever catch anyone with their pants down around 'ere. It's rather disappointing, I must say. Though I was rather 'oping to find a Slytherin in 'ere." She paused for a minute as if she'd just realized something, and then said "I'm in Ravenclaw, by the way. Something about being brilliant, I don't know. What about you? What's your story? I've never seen ya around 'ere before."

"That's 'cause I'm new 'ere," Xanadu replied, and noticing Sarafina's confused expression, she proceeded to tell her the story of how she'd gotten to be where she was; she was in a very trusting mood at the moment.

Sarafina raised and lowered her eyebrows. "Bloody fascinatin'," she replied finally. "I bet yer the oldest student te ever enter Hogwarts in their firs' year."

"That's wot I'm worried abou'," Xanadu said with a snicker.


	3. Pesky First Years and Bobbing Lanterns

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters or concepts, blah blah blah – those belong to JK Rowling kthx (lucky bitch . ). I do, however, own Xanadu Severina.

Sarafina Radcliff is (c) Kiara Rae ), and Sanuya Kynnata is (c) Cy ). Any other characters belonging to people other than me will be duly credited. Thus far, every fan-created character I use and will use I have strict permission to use directly from their creator, so don't bust my ass about copyright infringements.

Enjoy!

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An hour or so passed in a similar fashion before a stout plump woman pulled up alongside them. She was pushing a trolley bedecked in all sorts of wonderful sweets that made Xanadu realize just how hungry she was. She fumbled around in her black handbag and retrieved some gold gnuts, which she handed to the woman in exchange for two pumpkin cakes and several chocolate frogs. Sarafina was apparently much hungrier, for she purchased nearly the entire cart's worth of goodies with one flash of her change purse. As Xanadu watched her bite the head off of a chocolate frog and look over the enclosed wizard card disinterestedly, Xanadu felt all thoughts of nervousness being pushed from her mind. This was certainly turning out to be a much more comfortable train ride than she had expected.

The hours flew by within the train, and Xanadu felt that no time at all had passed by the time they finally arrived at Hogwarts. She peered out the window, filled with renewed excitement as she took in the dark shades of purple and blue of the sky and the fading light of the sun. Her stomach growled loudly, and she realized how little she'd eaten all day.

"The 'our of judgment awaits," Sarafina declared with a Cheshire cat grin, leaning over to elbow Xanadu as they rose from their seats and joined the jostling mob that had formed in the aisles and was slowly moving toward the exit.

"An' some'ow, I feel much bettah about the 'ole bloody thing," she replied, returning the grin.

The two pushed through the crowd of noisy students and burst out into the clean night air, cool and crisp on their faces. The evening was enchanting, there was certainly no denying that, and as the brilliant hues of the sky faded to black above them, it became even more invigorating.

A bobbing sphere of light came towards them, and for a moment Xanadu half expected it to be suspended in mid-air. However, as it neared them and their eyes adjusted to the darkness, the outline of a giant of a man became clear, and before either of them could say anything a great jolly voice erupted from beneath what they guessed was a tangled, furry beard.

"Ye must be Xanadu Severina, then," he stated more than asked.

"That I am," she replied with a grin, glancing over to see Sarafina's reaction; she was rather disappointed to see how nonplussed she was.

"Very pleased ter be makin' yer acquaintance, Miss Severina. Allow me te introduce meself: Rubeus 'agrid, Keeper of Keys an' Grounds at Hogwarts." He beamed down at her, and she couldn't help but return the smile despite the fact that she had to tilt her head practically all the way back just to look up into his face. "Right then, follow me."

"I guess they're goin' te sort ye with the firs' years," Sarafina guessed with a shrug. "Knock 'em dead out there." Xanadu barely made out a wink in the dark before she was lost in a sea of eleven-year-olds. A few moments later she thought she saw her familiar silvery hair bobbing towards an older student wearing blue and black, but she couldn't be sure.

Determined not to get lost before her first class even began, Xanadu shuffled off after the bobbing light that was cutting easily through the crowd ahead. "Firs' years, follow me! Firs' years! Come along then, everyone. Firs' years this way!"

She was much happier to follow the booming voice _and_ the bobbing lantern, just to make sure she didn't get lost in the tumultuous crowd of students which threatened to swallow her whole at any given moment. She pushed her way through the swell of eleven-year-old first years in more than slight irritation; she knew she had once been this excitable and annoying, but she chose not to remember that period in her life.

"Oi, watch the baggage, kid!" she growled at a blonde-haired boy who had just careened into her right boob.

He looked about to apologize when his face lit up and he seemed to recognize her from somewhere. "Hey, aren't you a fifth year? What are you doing with the first years? Did Dumbledore hold you back or something?" His voice grated on her ears, and she glared down at him crossly, her eye beginning to twitch.

"Listen ye little firs' year brat," she growled, grabbing him by the collar, "if ye wanna make it past yer firs' _day_ at Hogwarts, I suggest ye keep those kinds'a comments to yerself." She glared at him for a few more seconds before throwing him forcibly aside and continuing on in the general direction of the bobbing light, which had managed to get fairly far ahead of her in that short amount of time.

Despite the annoying run-in with the "firs' year brat," all thoughts were pushed from her mind as they neared several small boats resting on a black satin lake. High above them on a huge hillside was the most magnificent castle she had ever seen, its windows glowing yellow in warm welcome. She breathed in a deep breath of the chilled night air, so fresh and crisp inside her lungs. She could feel the buzz of the castle even before she entered the great establishment, and the feeling only grew stronger the closer she got to it.

"Alright then," Hagrid said, his voice carrying over the excited chatter that had erupted from the sea of first years. "No more 'n four te a boat; Xanadu, ye'll be ridin' with me."

She was glad to be rid of the pesky first years, which she was finding to be increasingly annoying despite herself. It was a mere few minutes boat ride up to the school, but she was glad to be rid of the little blighters nonetheless.


	4. The Hour of Judgement Approacheth

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters or concepts, blah blah blah – those belong to JK Rowling kthx (lucky bitch . ). I do, however, own Xanadu Severina.

Sarafina Radcliff is (c) Kiara Rae ), and Sanuya Kynnata is (c) Cy ). Any other characters belonging to people other than me will be duly credited. Thus far, every fan-created character I use and will use I have strict permission to use directly from their creator, so don't bust my ass about copyright infringements.

Enjoy!

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As they walked through the great wooden doors to the school, a wave of warmth and excitement washed over her. She could already hear the rest of the school inside what she knew to be the Great Hall, and every step she took deeper into the castle took her deeper into the heart of that excitement until she felt she was at the very center of it.

An older, rather distinguished looking teacher was awaiting them at the top of a set of stairs, her crimson and gold robes shimmering regally beneath the candlelight that illuminated the hallway. With a mere glance into the crowd of first years she was able to silence them all, and Xanadu could already tell she had a very powerful presence; she could feel her very aura reaching out and enveloping the whole room, washing over her own so that it felt like she had just stepped into a warm bath.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said, and the room went deathly quiet. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school." She then fixed Xanadu with her gaze, and her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Xanadu Severina, I presume?"

"Yeah," she replied, her heart pounding excitedly.

"You will be sorted first, since you are to be entering the fifth year class. When the meal is over, I would like you to wait outside the Great Hall; Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape and I will meet you there to discuss your schedule."

"Sounds peachy keen te me," she replied, grinning.

"Alright then, everyone, form a line and follow me. Remember, Xanadu should be at the front of the line. Ready? Let's go then."

While all of the first years broke out into hushed and worried chatter amongst themselves, Xanadu couldn't help but allow herself to be filled with a sense of excitement and pure adrenaline. She had a seriously good feeling about this professor, as well.

Professor McGonagall opened another set of doors which opened up into what must have been the Great Hall, and the noise that had once been almost deafening even from behind the heavy closed doors hushed to a sea of rolling whispers and probing stares, most of which were directed at Xanadu, who just grinning wider and continued on her way. She glanced up at the ceiling which her mother had told her was bewitched to always look like the sky outside, and gazed entranced at the thousands of glowing candles hovering above the four long tables on either side of them. Returning her gaze to the audience whose attention she had caught without even trying, and her eyes quickly found Sarafina's; she was seated at the table second from the left, surrounded by other students bedecked in blue and silver or blue and black. They exchanged devious grins before losing eye contact as Xanadu lost her in the sea of students.

She led the confused and awestruck line of first years up to the very front of the hall, where Professor McGonagall had them line up in front of the teachers so that they were facing the hall filled with students. Immediately before them was a single wooden stool, upon which a great black hat rested regally. Xanadu looked past it eagerly into the sea of faces, and spotted shimmering gray figures here and there that she recognized to be ghosts. She smiled, reminded of her grandfather back home.

While the anxiety level of the students around her increased, she found herself feeling surprisingly relaxed and confident. After all, her mother had told her all about the Sorting Hat the day before, and she was eagerly awaiting the moment when she would find out what house she was to be in.

At last – and it did seem they had waited an eternity – the hat twitched, and a rip near the brim opened widely like a mouth. Gasps erupted from the first years, but Xanadu simply grinned, staring at it in utter fascination. And then it began to sing.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends.  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The room filled with applause, and the hat returned to its normal state as if nothing else could have been more normal. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, bringing silence instantly to the wide expanses of the room, and pulled a scroll seemingly from nowhere and unrolled it.

"Before I begin calling the first years to the Sorting Hat," she began, "I would like Miss Xanadu Severina to come forth and take a seat. Since she'll be entering her first year at Hogwarts as a fifth year, she will be sorted before the first years to avoid any confusion."

She motioned to Xanadu, who was quite enjoying herself despite all the curious, blinking eyes that were now focused entirely upon her. Xanadu skipped down to the hat, picked it up gingerly, and placed it firmly upon her head, letting it slip comfortably down her forehead.

_My my my, what an interesting specimen!_ a voice declared inside her head. _A fifth year, eh? Well, we'll just have to see where to put you. Hm...I see attitude and cunning, perfect for Slytherin, but there's also a soft heart and a brilliant mind...traits of a Ravenclaw, if I ever did see one! Oh, but what's this? Mm, yes, valor and a strong taste for adventure, I see._ It chuckled. _Ah, I know what to do with you. _

"GRYFFINDOR!" it shouted out loud, and a great din erupted from the table to the far left.

Professor McGonagall smiled broadly at her and shook her hand, welcoming her to her house and wishing her well. She smiled graciously in return before heading on down the few steps so that she was level with the students. Grinning wildly, she raised her hands in a V, motioning for more cheers as she pranced over to her table and took her seat between a curly-haired brunette girl who looked to be about her age and a brown-haired boy of about the same age.

"Welcome to Gryffindor," he said in a thick Scottish accent. "I'm Oliver Wood, captain of Gryffindor's Quidditch team." He extended his hand, which she firmly shook. "Quite a grip ya got there, Xanadu. You'd do well as a beater on the Quidditch team, I bet," he added, grinning.

"Now Oliver, don't go ropin' the girl onto the team before she ever sets foot in the common room," a voice chided playfully from the other side of him, and a grinning face peered around his great shoulder, brilliant violet eyes twinkling out beneath tousled brown hair. "Tha name's Sanuya Kynnata, but you can call me San, if you'd like. I'm one of the Gryffindor beaters, and I'm not about to get my position given away anytime soon," she added, nudging Oliver playfully in the arm.

"Well, ye've got nothin' ter worry abou'," Xanadu replied genially. "I'm 'opin' to be a chaser, meself."

"Wicked!" Oliver replied, his eyes gleaming, but before he could launch into the rest of the conversation that Xanadu was sure he wanted to, McGonagall had silenced the room again and the Sorting Ceremony for the first years had begun.

For every first year that was sorted into Gryffindor, Xanadu practically rose right out of her seat she was cheering so loudly, and she even threw in a few cat calls when she felt so inclined. She was glad to see that the bratty blonde haired boy who had given her a hard time on the way there was sorted into Slytherin (_how fitting_, she thought to herself), but she didn't recognize anyone else, so everyone else received equal treatment.

When Professor McGonagall had finished off with "Zephyrus, Pietro," quiet once again blanketed the room, and as professor who could only have been the famed Albus Dumbledore pushed his seat back and stood up, arms raised in a V. His long white beard nearly found itself in his plate, and the twinkle in his bright blue eyes could be seen all the way at the back of the room. He was beaming proudly down at all of them, and his pure joy filled the room to the very corners with warmth and light.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" he declared brightly. "Let's hope this one is as filled with learning and adventure as the last, with a bit less of the latter than the former." Xanadu noticed his eyes flit to a boy about her age who was seated at the Gryffindor table, his overgrown scruffy black hair, round thin-framed glasses and barely concealed lightning shaped scar making him near impossible to recognize as the famed Harry Potter. Xanadu thought nothing of it and turned back to Dumbledore. "Now, without further ado, let the feasting begin!"

By the time Xanadu's clapping had tapered off with that of the rest of the Great Hall and she had returned her attention to the table, the plates had been filled with piles of all kinds of wonderful foods. A thousand delicious scents met her nose all at once, and her stomach rumbled loudly. As she was filling her plate hungrily with roasted lamb and boiled potatoes, Oliver started in again with the conversation he had been holding in for the past several minutes.

"I'm rather curious, Xanadu – how did you manage the whole...first year fifth year thing?"

Xanadu grinned at him and launched into a full explanation of her history for the past four years, which managed to attract the attention of most of the Gryffindors around her. When she was done, she half expected him to clap, he looked so thrilled. "Bloody brilliant!" he exclaimed, and she was reminded bemusedly of Sarafina's reaction to the tale. "Not about yer uncle dyin' or anythin', but the rest is-"

"A bit unusual?" Xanadu finished for him, shoveling lamb hungrily into her mouth, completely nonplussed.

"Exactly." She grinned.

_Well_, she thought to herself, _this isn't turning out to be so bad. I think I'm actually gonna like it here._


	5. Early Expectations

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters or concepts, blah blah blah – those belong to JK Rowling kthx (lucky bitch . ). I do, however, own Xanadu Severina.

Sarafina Radcliff is (c) Kiara Rae ), and Sanuya Kynnata is (c) Cy ). Any other characters belonging to people other than me will be duly credited. Thus far, every fan-created character I use and will use I have strict permission to use directly from their creator, so don't bust my ass about copyright infringements.

Enjoy!

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As the conversation turned to other things, Xanadu found herself completely fascinated by the variety in the people around her. Not a single person was the same; they all varied in shape and size, hair and eye colour, as well as the level of fascination with which she regarded them. And when they had finished with their meal, the plates glittered clean for a moment before they were again covered with wonderful desserts, which Xanadu helped herself to in large quantities. When these too disappeared, Dumbledore again rose to his feet and the hall again plunged into awed silence.

"I'd like to say just a few more words now that our bellies our all good and full. A few start-of-term notices, if you will. First years should note that the forbidden forest is off limits to all those who do not wish to suffer a most painful death." Xanadu wasn't sure whether to laugh or not. "Secondly, our caretaker Ms. Brown would like me to remind you all that no magick should be used between classes in the corridors. Thirdly, Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch."

Oliver elbowed Xanadu with a grin, and Xanadu shook her head, though she couldn't help smiling.

"And now, before we all head off to a night of rest, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore finished merrily. He flicked his wand lightly, and words began pouring from its tip in wonderful shimmering curls that reminded her of crepe paper that had taken on a life of its own. "Everyone pick your favorite tunes, and off we go!"

Rather resignedly, Xanadu looked up at the words and joined the rest of the school in a somewhat dreary version of her favorite Dredg song.

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot."_

Xanadu distinctly picked out another voice singing the same tune as her, and when her eye caught Sarafina's they exchanged grins, each instantly recognizing the other's obsession. Dumbledore said something else that Xanadu didn't really hear (she wasn't paying attention), and before she knew what was happening the entire Gryffindor table had stood up and was shuffling off out of the Great Hall.

Before Xanadu allowed herself to follow Oliver and San, she remembered what Professor McGonagall had told her before they had entered the Great Hall, and waved goodbye to her two new friends before positioning herself just outside the Great Hall, trying her damndest to stay out of the other students' ways and avoid being trampled. When the halls had cleared and the even the last of the echoes had faded into nothingness, an eerie silence settled itself over her; she found it strangely refreshing.

It didn't last long, however, because not even a minute had passed before the doors to the Great Hall swung open once more and Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall emerged, accompanied by a sleek-looking black haired teacher whom Xanadu assumed to be Professor Snape.

"Xanadu," Dumbledore said genially as he approached her and shook her hand delightedly. "It's really quite wonderful to have you here. Your mother was a head girl in her time, you know. We're very proud to have another witch in the Atwell family attending our school." And Xanadu knew, of course, that Atwell was her mother's maiden name.

"Very glad te be 'ere, thank ye," Xanadu replied, grinning and still quite excited despite her exhaustion.

"Now, to discuss your schedule," Professor McGonagall said simply, her eyes glittering behind her glasses. Xanadu was liking her more and more every moment she was in her presence. She handed her a parchment with the names of different classes and teachers scrawled out with corresponding times and days of the week, and the words _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_ written in the same loopy text at the top. "Since you have so much to catch up on, we've scheduled you some extra hour classes for the first few months."

"Your mother's told us you're a very fast learner," Dumbledore interjected proudly, and Xanadu beamed. It was true, after all, she did pick up on things very fast, and she had a particular knack for magick. She was beginning to wonder why she hadn't been sorted into Ravenclaw when Professor McGonagall called her back to reality.

"Yes, well, let's just hope that's true, eh?" Her eyes glittered, and Xanadu grinned broadly.

"A' 'his schoo', professeh, I think I'll do just wonderfully," she replied, and both professors beamed. She even noticed Snape crack a smile, which is something she felt was going to be quite rare.

"Splendid. We'll see you bright and early in the morning, then," Professor McGonagall finished happily. "I'll show you to your common room, give you the password, and show you to your dormitory."

Xanadu waved goodbye to the other two professors, who went their separate ways almost immediately after their departure, and she felt her body suddenly become heavy as she realized just how tired she was. She followed Professor McGonagall mindlessly through a labyrinth of passageways that she subconsciously recorded in her mind, and her feet were very thankful when they stopped in front of the portrait of a very round woman wearing a frilled pink dress.

"This is the entryway to the Gryffindor commonroom," Professor McGonagall said, snapping her awake. She then turned to the painting and enunciated clearly, "golden snitch." The fat lady bowed slightly and the portrait slid back, revealing a hole in the wall that her professor slid through easily with catlike grace. Xanadu followed, making sure not to hit her head as she went in, and the portrait slid back into place behind her.

The room was warm and comforting, and a fire blazing in the hearth cast a warm glow over several cushy armchairs. Oreo was curled up on one of them (she had been taken by Ms. Brown when they had entered the castle, along with all the other pets the students had brought with them on the train), and she leapt off as soon as she saw them come in. Xanadu picked her up in her arms and nuzzled her face, and she could tell the little cat was as sleepy as she was.

Professor McGonagall directed her attention to a stairwell to her right. "Up those stairs are the girls' dormitories; you should find one about five doors up with a piece of parchment pinned to it, on which should be your name." She smiled. "Pleasant dreams, Miss Severina."

"Thank ye Professeh," Xanadu replied, smiling gratefully.

Then Professor McGonagall left through the portrait, and she was left alone in the commonroom. She took a deep breath of the smoky scent of the fireplace before trudging up the spiral staircase to the right of it. Five doors later she found her name on a piece of parchment, as promised, and pushed the door open.

Inside were four four-poster beds, draped in what looked like scarlet velvet bedspreads. All her things were already set up beside a bed at one of the corners on the right side of the room, and she instinctively dragged her feet over to the bed and began yanking off her clothes. At this point, she didn't really care if the entire boys' dormitory came in to watch her change, she just wanted to get into bed. She reached inside her bag and pulled out some makeup remover, bewitched water, and a towel and went about removing the thick black makeup from around her eyes and from her lips, and barely a minute had passed before her head had hit the pillow and she had pulled the covers up around her.

"Goodnight, Oreo," she uttered quietly as the little black and white cat curled up by her feet.  
  
_Goodnight Xanadu._


End file.
